Cold hands, determined hearts

When I spoke to my friends and family this weekend I was unanimously scolded. After Friday’s 15-hour occupation of Gazprom’s Prirazlomnaya oil platform in the Pechora Sea, they all said “you’re getting too old for this!” With blue hands and feet from the cold, and in the midst of being treated by our ship doctor Marcelo for hypothermia, for a moment I thought they could be right.

But then I returned to the spirit on board our ship the Arctic Sunrise; the eager faces of my fellow activists Sini, Jens, Lars, Basil and Terry, the determination of our Captain Vlad, and the rest of the committed crew who were standing up for what they believed was right. Coming back to this I knew that the risks had been worth it.

For me, an action like the one we’ve just completed in the Arctic is Greenpeace at its best. Teams united in the one goal, taking a risk to confront dangerous industry at the frontlines of destruction, and shining a light on an environmental crime that happens out of the sights and minds of most regular people.

I’ve been an activist since the age of 15. I’ve seen the inside of a prison cell for the cause, but nobody - even with experience - can honestly say that there is no fear when you set out to take action involving risk to personal safety, or the risk of imprisonment. We were feeling it acutely in the days preceding the action as we traced through our different scenarios and plans. But I felt encouraged; we gave each other confidence.

And then our time came. We sailed early morning towards Gazprom’s oil platform, and soon some of my worst fears came true. During my first attempt to climb, I got knocked off course by a big swell and didn't make it up. I spent several minutes in the icy water fighting with the rope. Defeated and fighting the cold, I had to retreat to the boat.

My fellow activists were now 15 metres above me and I sat there, confidence shaken. Jono, an experienced climber and Sunrise crewmember, came to the boat to talk me through it. He checked all of my gear, made sure everything was in place. “Don’t rush,” he told me. “Take your time. You're going to be fine.”

And as we spoke and I thought of our task, I stepped up again.

The platform crew had already begun rocking the ropes and spraying us with icy blasts of water, but I had to make it up there.

As I climbed, I kept my eyes locked on Basil and Terry. They were coaxing me: “You’re almost there! One step at a time — that’s it!”

Finally, I made it. I looked out towards the Arctic Sunrise, some three miles away, and above me to the pinnacle of this monstrous platform. Elated, I was suddenly struck by our task – the reason why we were there.

Our children’s future is at stake. We have a responsibility to future generations. We need people now to wake up to taking responsibility for our planet.

I thought of the Indigenous Peoples of northern Russia, who I’d spoken to the week earlier. I thought about the way their land and culture and way of life has already been negatively impacted by the oil industry. It moved me to speak with them, and I felt the helplessness that they must feel.

In many ways it’s already too late, especially given yesterday’s news about the melting rate of Arctic sea ice. Time really is running out.

Another thing about standing face to face with a monstrous oil platform is realising sheer human might. If nothing else, these constructions are incredible feats of engineering, and if you think of the human and financial resource that goes into building one, you can’t help but think of what could be if the same energy was put into clean, renewable alternatives.

Looking up at the workers on the platform, it was clear that many of them agreed with us. Many of them spend long weeks away from their families and loved ones doing risky work just to earn a living. They offered lots of ‘thumbs up’ and peace signs. One worker, who was (presumably) ordered to spray us, stopped to ask if we were ok. There were a few who threw objects at us, but certainly not the majority.

Like us they’re also being held hostage to the fossil fuel industry. Like us, they do not have access to options, and this is what we’re setting out to change. Perched on this platform as we were, the level of arrogance and denial of science in government and industry astounded me.

And so I write to you today not as the Executive Director of Greenpeace International, but as one of a team of activists who stood up to say 'No' to a Russian oil giant determined to destroy our fragile Arctic.

Our campaign is far from over, and our resolve is strengthened from this experience. I’ve been inspired by the tenacity I’ve seen around me this week, the endurance in the face of adversity, and the willingness of decent people to put their bodies in the way of destruction in an act of defiance.

The next stop for the Arctic Sunrise will be to the edge of the Arctic sea ice to document its disappearance. There we will continue bearing witness to environmental injustices while mobilising the world to join with us.

To date nearly 2,000,000 people have pledged to fight the Arctic fight with us, and we encourage millions more. I thank you for your continued support. Without you we couldn’t do the work we do, and together I look forward to working with you again in the future.

If you have thoughts or comments on this action, we'd love to hear. What would you do to protect the Arctic?

when i speak of dedication and living and brething what u believe in,i will put Mr Naidoo on top of my list>>i find myself constantly browsing o...

when i speak of dedication and living and brething what u believe in,i will put Mr Naidoo on top of my list>>i find myself constantly browsing on my phone coz i so want to know what the Arctic Sunrise crew r up to>>keep up the good work..i might be in Africa bt the way you update us make us feel like we there witnessing everything

@GREEN Saviour: I think that yes, Dr. Naidoo is made out to be a hero...without any doubt at all. And perhaps Greenpeace needs to rethink it's met...

@GREEN Saviour: I think that yes, Dr. Naidoo is made out to be a hero...without any doubt at all. And perhaps Greenpeace needs to rethink it's methods a bit. But one thing: it is definitely good publicity for Greenpeace's cause if the CEO - or whatever - is actually personally involved. After all, BBC News actually mentioned Greenpeace's anti-Prirazlomnaya (yes, I wrote that from memory) stance. Okay, just a sentence, but still.
They are trying.
But, perhaps there is some self-aggrandisement going on here...if only on a subconscious level. Don't be too hard on them, m'kay?
The Arctic drilling needs to be fought, even if you won't win...
If you were faced with a fight that you had no chance of winning, but you felt it was the right thing, would you fight?

Not to say that there aren't other, just as important, issues to be faced which are being neglected...and from a human perspective the plight of people in Africa is more important. See that killing in Africa that was on the news - the cleric? My mum knew his wife.
You mentioned saving Tuuts...that is, on a human scale, far more important than the Arctic drilling...but not for some people.

May the God-Emperor of Mankind watch over you all.
Keelah sel'ai.
Abigor
Grand Duke of Hell

thanks...I do fight all my life...no chance of winning? I don't know this expresssion, but it is exactly the point...

Hey Abigor,

thanks...I do fight all my life...no chance of winning? I don't know this expresssion, but it is exactly the point...

Having used 2.75 years simply to bring a 250Million NGO in the position of no chance to win...all this although first decade of 21st century had proved all Greenpeace-positions to be true, therefor having taken over the MOST poverful environmental NGO 2.75 years ago simply to personnalize yourself to be a hero after having wasted Greenpeace...

Sorry, but more then ever I do believe it is time for consequences...

Greenpeace used to get media-coverage without the CEO or VIPs like Sir Walrus being present...this is the most obvious evidence of a complete fuck-up!

If someone would have talked of the end of environmental history in 20...

Where have all the determined hearts been in the last 4 years....?

If someone would have talked of the end of environmental history in 2008 it would have caught the spirit of that time perfectly...the age of sustainability seemed to be available.

In 2008 there was a spirit of optimism, a vision uniting the world with the goal of keeping global warming below 2°C .

Leading alternative brains had given CLEAR directions of how to proceed...

http://www.hermannscheer.de/en/index.php

...and Greenpeace became an institution well established for 40 years of positions having all proved to be true.

What has changed in my world since 2008?

We live in times of the Corporate Social Responsibility Policy – everybody is green and nothing is changing.

Worse: we do know banks and even states can fail – a deadly knowledge whepn keeping in mind that political systems and STABILITY are relying on economic growth, and therefor on carbon.

Optimism has turned into agony, most established alternative forces have not had the intellectual capacity to withdraw themselves from a system which gave everything to make them become part of it.

Let's call it a lack of green leadership.

My world in 2012...only mentioning global warming makes you non credible – everybody seems to be aware that the last four years were the chance we have missed.

We decided to listen and talk to CEO of companies who sermonized a sustainable life before breakfast simply to have all day long to maximise their profits.

Global diplomacy, known to be a dead end leading into paralysing idleness with only protagonists feeling important...

The German Energy Revolution...it would be so easey and is just turned into another farce of the sustainble coal- and nuclear powerplant operators.

Hermann Scheer, a fortune teller?

And Greenpeace? Where was the determined heart when needed?

While alternative thinkers demand to deprive the financial capital of access to education, every academic not working for the system is a gain not only for sustainability, the CEO of Greenpeace International is following his strategy of appeasment for the last 2.75 years!

GREEN Saviour: I get your point about Greenpeace having to hang Dr. Naidoo to get publicity...the BBC News article about Greenpeace on Prirazlomnaya s...

GREEN Saviour: I get your point about Greenpeace having to hang Dr. Naidoo to get publicity...the BBC News article about Greenpeace on Prirazlomnaya seemed to only mention it because of Naidoo.
Greenpeace's problem is that it as an organisation is failing. They are having to resort to shoving high-profile people into their actions to get attention.
Well, maybe it can act as a shoehorn to get them back into the public eye.
Maybe.
Abigor
Grand Duke of Hell

of course you have to look for the goodies when searching for Sun Wu...

http://www.greenpeace.org/international/en...

Abigor...

of course you have to look for the goodies when searching for Sun Wu...

http://www.greenpeace.org/international/en/multimedia/goodies/

haha...

One of the last actions before DOCTOR Naidoo took over the wheel, just one of these 'paint a ship & block an anchor-chain...' like Greenpeace used to do on a daily basis...(Andrew, if we make it look so easy...maybe it is easy?)

But we delivered some of the best images of it.. is not me on picture, but without my driving Greenpeace would not be able to present goodies in 2012

English is not my primary language and i don't really understand what your asking me. Whether kumi naidoo is a hero o...

To greensavior,

English is not my primary language and i don't really understand what your asking me. Whether kumi naidoo is a hero or not, i honestly don't really care. I don't judge people and i only care about the policy of the organization. I think he's smart, truly commited and works a lot like Barrack Obama, a brilliant Guy stuck in a system he embraced.

I believe there is an acceleration of the world toward an over "money designed" society. I was happy greenpeace stand for some cure to it by the past, even at times when it made mistakes. I believe some people are too happy to be on the "hero" side of the society and don't make the effort of questioning themselves.
I don't like wars, all it bring is sadness and injustices. I think many mercenaries are too happy with wars cause they have a good place to exist.

I think Greenpeace went beyond the optimum making too much arrogant steps in selling causes diminishing its potential. I am interested with it because this ngo is a good indicator of what Will happen in the civil society.